Flight 19 -- Navigation, Bombing and Strafing

December 5, 1945
Ft Lauderdale Naval Air Station

Lt. Charles Taylor Late for Flight 19 Briefing
Sixty five years ago today and the tragedy of Flight 19 is still a subject of interest. We'll follow Flight 19 into the Bermuda Triangle using radio transmissions from the flight, hearing records and witness testimony along with some questions that were not asked at the inquiry.
December 5, 1945
NAS Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
Flight 19 was to be a routine navigation, bombing and strafing exercise as part of the student pilot’s and aircrew’s operational training schedule. The flight consisted of five planes and 14 navy and Marine Corps aviators, five pilots, and nine radiomen or gunners. The planes were TBM Avengers, large single-engine torpedo bombers. Four of the planes were piloted by student pilots and the fifth by the flight instructor and leader, Navy Lt. Charles Taylor.
Prior to the flight, each plane went through a full preflight inspection that included engine, aircraft, fuel, safety equipment and ordnance, which included live ammunition and bombs.
The student pilots and air crewmen stood around the operations office waiting for their flight instructor to show up. As the clock ticked past 1:10 pm and still no instructor the crews began to show anxiety, knowing that they were going to be late. Their takeoff time was set for 1:45 pm and they still hadn’t had their briefing. At 1:15 Lt. Charles Taylor arrived and immediately asked the aviation training duty officer to find another instructor to take his place. Taylor gave no particular reason; he just stated simply that he did not want to take the flight out. His request was denied; and he was told that no relief was available.
Taylor didn’t plead his case further and reluctantly accepted the duty officer’s decision. Then once it was settled that he would be leading the flight, the crews picked up their life jackets and parachutes and trooped over to the briefing room. As soon as they settled into their chairs the briefing officer told them that today’s training flight would include a bombing and strafing exercise. The weather reports in the area were favorable and the sea was moderate to rough. The briefing officer stood beside a chalkboard and drew as he explained the navigation problem. They would depart NAS Ft. Lauderdale and take an easterly heading of 091 degrees for a distance of 56 miles to Hens and Chickens Shoals where they would practice low level bombing and strafing. Once the bombing exercise was completed they would continue on course 091 for 67 miles. They would then turn north and take a course of 346 degrees and fly for 73 miles. The third leg of the course would take them on a west-southwest heading of 241 degrees for a distance of 120 miles, which would complete the triangle and bring them back to NAS Ft. Lauderdale.

At 2:00 pm the pilots and crews boarded their planes, started their engines and by 2:10 pm the flight was in the air, led by one of the students. The instructor whose call sign was Fox Tare 28 stayed behind the other planes in a tracking position. Estimated Time of Arrival back at base was 5:23 pm. All five planes had enough fuel to remain aloft for five to five-and-a-half hours.
Flight 19 apparently arrived at their first objective, the bombing and strafing range located at Hens and Chickens Shoals, commonly called Chicken Rocks. That range was only 56 miles from Fort Lauderdale, and at normal cruising speed they would arrive at the Rocks in about 20 minutes. Thirty minutes was the normal time for the bombing and strafing exercise. After that target practice was completed they would regroup and then continue on the final 67 miles of the first leg.
Ft. Lauderdale tower picked up a conversation from Flight 19 near the end of the bomb exercise when someone said, "I've got one more bomb."
A second voice stated, "Go ahead and drop it".
That short report was taken down since it was general practice for base and other aircraft in the area to monitor radio conversations between the pilots. The short message was normal and a good sign that the bombing and strafing operation was completed successfully.
(To be Continued)

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Tom Barnes -- Actor, Writer and Hurricane Hunter.
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